Teenage pregnancies Scotland

Shocking data. More than 50% of all pregnancies now result in termination.

2022

Although teenage pregnancies have risen since the COVID pandemic rates throughout that period were the lowest ever recorded. What’s most concerning in the recent data is the % of total pregnancies that now result in a termination. Read on.

Why such low rates?

One of the main reasons is the progressive changes on how abortion services are accessed in Scotland.

‘Conceptions in 2020 (from roughly March onwards) and 2021 will overlap with the emergence of Covid-19 in Scotland and various periods of national lockdown and social restrictions. Changes in the provision of termination of pregnancy services in Scotland were introduced in 2017 via a Ministerial approval allowing the second stage of early medical termination treatment (misoprostol) to be taken in a patient’s home in certain circumstances.’

‘In March 2020, to ensure termination of pregnancy continued as an essential service during the Covid-19 pandemic, Scottish Ministers gave approval for mifepristone, the first medication administered in a medical termination, to also be taken at home. This was a direct response to reducing the risks associated with the spread of Covid-19.’

Mifepristone policy is now permanent.

Local authority areas

‘In 2022 East Dunbartonshire had the lowest teenage pregnancy rate of all local authorities (11.2 per 1,000 women) and Dundee City had the highest (45.5) for the second consecutive year.’

Terminations now outstrip actual births

‘The increase in Scotland's teenage pregnancy rate in 2022 was mostly driven by pregnancies which ended in termination. In terms of numbers, there were 1,631 deliveries (118 more than 2021) and 2,125 terminations (417 more than 2021).’

‘Between 1994 and 2022 the percentage of teenage pregnancies that ended in termination rose from around a third (33.1%) to more than half (56.6%). Increases inthe percentage have been more rapid in the most recent five-year period and the proportion of..

…56.6% of teenage pregnancies ending in termination in 2022 is the highest since reporting began.’

Depopulation

The latest report from NRS also found that the number of births had fallen..

to the lowest figure ever, with 45,935 live births being registered in 2023 2% fewer than in 2022.

‘The Total Fertility Rate fell to 1.30 from 1.33 in the previous year…

and is also at its lowest ever level.’

The infant death rate rose to 4.0 for every thousand live births.

..the highest rate since 2011. 

As the Scottish nation suffers record low fertility and birth rates (at unsustainable levels) why are our MSPs continually passing legislation making it easier for women to terminate unborn babies?

The Safe Access Zones Bill was agreed by 118 votes to 1. John Mason SNP MSP for Glasgow Shettleston (an unwavering promoter of COVID vaccines) opposed. The bill will introduce a 200m protest-free zone around clinics. It will be the most extreme buffer zone in the world and was put forward by Central Scotland Green MSP Gillian Mackay MSP.

End

Links:

Full report- https://publichealthscotland.scot/media/28144/2024-07-30-teenpreg-report.pdf

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-61426027

https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/news/2024/excess-deaths-fall-in-2023

https://www.spiked-online.com/2024/06/25/scotlands-buffer-zones-are-an-affront-to-freedom/

https://www.parliament.scot/bills-and-laws/bills/abortion-services-safe-access-zones-scotland-bill